Building automation systems include lighting systems, security systems, fire safety systems, and comfort control systems, also known as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Such systems can include controllers, valves, ventilation damper boxes, ductwork, sensors, and air handing equipment. In larger buildings with hundreds or thousands of such components, building automation systems include distributed control systems and communication networks.
In order to monitor and control these distributed control systems, larger building automation systems often incorporate a centralized user interface to the system. The centralized user interface is part of a centralized system control station, which may be the form of a desktop computer. The control station communicates with various elements of the building automation system to allow retrieval of data therefrom, and the provision of control commands thereto. Many control stations, such as the INSIGHT™ model control station available from Siemens Building Systems, allow a user in one location to monitor, supervise, command, and analyze building system data from systems that can include thousands of data points. Such control stations can further provide an interface to the Internet that allows for remote monitoring and control of a building automation system.
For small building systems, such as those located in fast food restaurants or other similar establishments, the building automation systems are much less complex. In such systems, it is neither practical nor necessary to implement a full computer-based control station. Instead, a data interface panel can provide sufficient control and monitoring functionality. Nevertheless, even with the simplicity of small systems, it is still desirable to provide Internet accessibility. Accordingly, small data interface panels with an Internet interface have been developed for this purpose. In particular, the model Ecoview™ energy management system available from Siemens Industry, Inc. includes building system control components designed for smaller facilities. One of the components is a touch screen data panel that provides a user interface to the system. This touch screen data panel also includes Internet connectivity. In one configuration, the touch screen data panel is configured to provide system data to a data server in a cloud computing network. As a consequence, the system data may be accessed remotely over the Internet from the cloud.
While ability to access system data for small businesses over the Internet is helpful, there nevertheless exists a need for more efficient ways of accessing building system data, particularly for smaller facilities that lack sophisticated on-site computer control stations.